1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an occupant-detecting apparatus for a vehicle, which is configured to detect whether or not an occupant is seated on a vehicle seat.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional occupant-detecting apparatus is configured to mount a load sensor on each of a plurality of legs supporting a vehicle seat and determine whether or not an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat, or the seated occupant is an adult or a child or the like, based on detected result of the load sensors (for reference, see JP 2008-018863A, FIG. 4, paragraphs 0014 to 0020, and JP 2006-256597A).
In the occupant-detecting apparatus, if a sum of the variable amounts of the detected results of the load sensors exceeds a predetermined threshold value, seated determination or occupant-sitting determination is not performed. Thereby, if a vehicle turns, suddenly starts or suddenly stops, the occupant-sitting determination is not performed.
However, if the vehicle turns at a low speed as in a slow curve or the like, the load sensors detect a less variable amount, and hence there is a case that the sum of the variable amount does not exceed the threshold value.
Therefore, in the aforementioned occupant-detecting apparatus, the occupant-sitting determination is performed by determination of the fact that the vehicle is stable if the vehicle has a less variable amount as in a low speed turn or the like. Consequently, there is possibility that the occupant-sitting determination is performed while the vehicle turns, and hence erroneous occupant-sitting determination is performed